Soil organic matter in a mixed ley cropping system, R3-0021, Säby

Local identifier
R3-0021, C-55-1970
Years operational
1970—
Objective
Investigating the development of soil organic matter in cropping systems with grass/clover ley.
Description
Soil organic matter develops differently in cropping systems with only cereals and cropping systems with grass/clover ley. In the R3-0020 experimental series, the effect on soil organic matter from a crop rotation with only cereals is tested at four different levels of nitrogen addition. Additionally, the effect of removing the straw versus leaving it in field is tested. In the R3-0021 experimental series the crop rotation instead consists of three years of mixed ley, followed by re-sowing of grass/clover with barley as cover crop, and three year of ley again. Treatments consist of four levels of nitrogen. Both series has experiments on four locations: Lanna, Lönnstorp, Röbäcksdalen and Säby.
Data Access Statement
Available to any researcher on request
Data Access Notes
Access form here: https://www.slu.se/en/faculties/nj/this-is-the-nj-faculty/collaborative-centres-and-major-research-platforms/long-term-field-experiments-/
Data license
Don't know
Data policy
Don't know
Organization
The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
research organisation
Person
Dr Sabina Braun
experiment manager
SLU
Soil and Environment

Site: Säby

Type
research station field
Local code
C-55-1970
Location
Uppsala
Uppland
Sweden
Geographic location
59.8192, 17.646
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Visits permitted?
Yes
Visiting arrangements
See https://www.slu.se/en/departments/crop-production-ecology/resurser/faltforsok-slu-uppsala/

Design period: (1970—)

Design Type
Randomized complete block design
Description
This experiment is part of a series of four experiments with mixed lay production at four levels of nitrogen addition. Nitrogen is added in spring as mineral fertilizer (Axan, N28). The crop rotation is one year of barley undersown with grass and clover, then three years of unbroken ley. At the experiment located at Röbäcksdalen no barley is included in the rotation, and grass and clover is re-sown every fourth year. Ley is harvested twice per season, except for year 1 at Röbäcksdalen when only one harvest is taken. Crop samples are collected every year and top soil samples every 4th year. Phosphorus and potassium removed by harvest is calculated for each four year rotation and the corresponding amount is applied as mineral fertilizer during the following rotation. Other plant nutrients are added as needed. Chemical pest and weed control are used.
Design description
Four blocks (replicates), four treatments, 16 plots in total.
Crops
CropYears grown
grass clover leys
spring barley
Crop Rotation
Unnamed
  • 1
    spring barley
    undersown with ley
  • 2
    grass clover leys
  • 3
    grass clover leys
  • 4
    grass clover leys
Factor
Factor name
Factor levels
nitrogen fertilizer exposure
N0  (0 )
N50  (50 kgN/ha)
Application frequency: annually
N100  (100 kgN/ha)
Application frequency: annually
N150  (150 kgN/ha)
Application frequency: annually
Measurements
VariableMaterialUnitsFrequencyScaleComment
forage yieldgrass clover leys
grain yield traitspring barley
nitrogen contentAll crops
phosphorous contentAll crops
potassium contentAll crops
soil pHSoilevery 4th year
plant available phosphorousSoilevery 4th yearAmmonium acetate lactate (AL) extraction
potassium contentSoilevery 4th yearAmmonium acetate lactate (AL) extraction
calcium contentSoilevery 4th yearAmmonium acetate lactate (AL) extraction
magnesium contentSoilevery 4th yearAmmonium acetate lactate (AL) extraction

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